Long Time Coming
by dreamer one
Summary: Summary: At the end of Continuum, Jack and Sam reflect on their relationship. Beware a major spoiler.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: How I'd write the ending of Continuum, if they asked me.** Warning: a major spoiler for the movie, if you've been spoiler free!**

Long Time Coming

It's been a long time coming.

Living like a real married couple that is, it's been a long time coming.

No more secrets, no more hidden meetings, no more keeping my wedding band tucked away in my pocket. Wow, it's been a long time coming!

And we've gotten good at it. Good at hiding, that is. So good, that no one other than Daniel, Teal'c and our favorite Generals were any the wiser. Keeping our commitment from those guys would have been impossible anyway. We know each other far too well for that. They knew what was going on with us before we did.

Five years married. Hard as it's been to keep it secret, not to shout it from the rooftops, it was worth it ten times over. Being together, sharing so much with each other in good times and bad, comforting each other, encouraging, not pretending, at least not in private, it's been worth it. Anything would be worth being with Sam.

But now it's time, time to come out of hiding. I have to admit after so long, it'll feel strange. The little touches, the affectionate glances, the small things married people do with each other in public _we_ can do those things now. No more need to fight being seen as a couple, or worry about malicious gossip, much less breaking the regulations. Wearing my wedding band proudly like the badge of honor it is. Hey, I'm looking forward to it.

For the most part, the people we know will be glad for us. Some, like John Sheppard, Vala and Cam Mitchell, may be a little hurt we didn't take them into our confidence. Still others, well, their busy-body tongues will wag. I say, let 'em wag. Nothing they say can spoil this for us now.

Funny, it takes death to make a person fully aware of what's most important in life. A little over a week ago, my death did just that. Carter would tell you how time is relative, yadda, yadda, but me, I say time's damn amazing. What else do you call it when you're flat on your back breathing your last one minute and standing upright kissing the love of your life the next.

Yup, that was the story. Killed by Ba'al one minute, alive and kicking the next. All it took was for my team to travel back in time yet again and fix things. Led by Sam, of course. My wife, Sam, that's right, _my wife_. I've said that inside my head for five years, now I can say it outloud to anyone who will listen. Hell, we can have a big party if we want, invite the President and all. What was I thinking, keeping this secret in the first place.

OoOoOo

We've decided to "go public". I didn't give Jack much choice, come to think of it. We came back home through the Gate after restoring the timeline and I literally threw myself at him. I was so happy and relieved to see him standing there, alive and grinning at me, I didn't think. I simply reacted, throwing my arms around _my husband_, assuring myself he was alive, warm and breathing. For anyone else it would have been the most natural thing in the world.

Of course by the time we pulled back from the embrace, all eyes in the Gateroom were locked on us. Our cover was blown. And there's nothing like death to reorder a person's priorities. I should know.

Five years ago, after my father's death, I decided I'd waited for Jack long enough. That's really all it took, my decision. Turns out Jack had been waiting for me all along. Long story short, we decided to get married, right then and there. From the standpoint of "the regs", marrying during that short window of opportunity while I was assigned to Area 51 covered us as far as the military was concerned. We both knew it was the right thing to do, no doubts there. But even then, my obsession with my career, well, I was determined to hide the most important relationship in my life. And because Jack loved me so much, he was willing to let me.

Somehow I thought being married to Jack would make me look weaker in other people's eyes. When I look at it now, it sounds foolish. How could anyone believe being married to this wonderful man could take away from who I am or what I can do? How could _I_ believe it? Truth is, he only makes me stronger.

Well it took thinking I'd lost him for good to shake some sense into me. And though I don't plan on any more public displays of affection in the Gateroom, I'm looking forward to living life in the open, as a woman married to the man she loves and respects more than anyone in the world. It's been a long time coming. And I plan on enjoying every minute of it.

The End

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Reviews greatly appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2 Consequences

A/N: I decided to add Chapter 2 in honor of Gateworld's upcoming Ship Day!

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Chapter 2: Consequences

It was a long debrief.

After Sam and the team returned through the Gate, we were subject to a two hour session with Hank Landry and the ever present IOA interrogators. If nothing else, it was amusing to hear Sam try to explain time travel to someone even denser than Woolsey. I'll bet ole Richard understands a bit more after spending the last few weeks in Atlantis. Maybe we ought to send these bozos too.

Anyway, as the consummate professionals they are, none of the SGC personnel broached the subject of my unexpectedly emotional reunion with Carter earlier today. Thinking I was home free, I made my way to the locker room to pick up a few things before heading home with Sam. Imagine my surprise when I found Vala, hardly the consummate professional, waiting for me in the men's locker room. She looked like a Cheshire cat, waiting to pounce.

"General O'Neill," she purred, her voice dripping with, I don't know, _something_ suggestive. "You sly fox, all this time you and Colonel Carter," she went on, clearly angling for some juicy details.

"Vala," I answered calmly, "this is the _men's_ locker room." At that moment I couldn't decide whether to be disappointed or relieved this woman wasn't a member of the military, subject to my orders. If she was military, I could charge her with insubordination. But then, what would I do with her?

"Oh now General," she said, "don't be like that. I'd think you be very sorry for keeping such a delicious little secret from me."

With that, I knew I was in for it. Where was Sam when I needed her?

"Vala, do you mind?" I said, trying to work my way past her to my locker. "I have to pick up a few things before I head home. Someone's waiting for me."

"She wouldn't happen to be a certain blond-haired, blue-eyed Colonel with a hidden wedding ring, now would she?"

_Oh hell! Might as well give the woman what she wants_, I thought.

"As a matter of fact, yes," I said. "Sam and I are heading out for a quiet evening at home."

"Ah ha!" Vala whooped triumphantly. "I thought as much. A private evening alone, snuggling or ..."

"Akk!" I held up my hand in the universally recognized signal to cease and desist.

Even Vala understood that one. She smiled, clearly proud of herself for confirming what she'd suspected.

"So, you and Sam..."

I surrendered to the inevitable. Talking with the gossip magnet of the SGC about my relationship with my wife was so not in the plan. Then again ...

"Yep, me and Sam," I admitted pleasantly, grabbing the jacket I needed from my locker. "Married, five years now. And happy, did I mention happy?"

"You don't need to, General," she said, her eyes dancing. "It's plain to see. Written all over your face."

"Yeah?" I asked rhetorically in what I could hear as my normally gruff tone.

"Yessss..." Vala replied. Damn it, I swear she was purring again. "Yes it is."

"Fine," I finally gave in. "Sam's the best thing that's happened to me in years. Having a real relationship with the woman I love and getting married, well, those were two of the best decisions I've ever made." _That ought to about cover it,_ I thought.

"Satisfied?" I asked.

Her smile told me she was. _At last, peace_. Then she had to go and ruin it with yet another typically irreverent comment.

"Absolutely, General," Vala pronounced. I swear the woman was literally bouncing on the tips of her toes. "And I can tell you are as well, satisfied, that is."

_Ow, I could so do without these days ... _

OoOoOo

Waiting for the elevator, Sam was having much the same experience. Fortunately for her, Cam Mitchell was a bit more inhibited than Vala Mal Doran would ever be.

"So," Cam said softly, standing directly to her right and out of earshot of others. "You and General O'Neill? That's great."

"Thanks, Cam," Sam replied genuinely, a soft unfamiliar blush suffusing her face.

With that, the elevator doors opened and the two teammates entered the empty cubicle.

"You do know I'm happy for you, right?" Mitchell asked.

"I know," Sam said. "It's just that after all this time trying to keep things quiet, be discrete, it's feels different, embarrassing almost. I can't believe I did that in the gateroom."

"Why the hell not?" Cam asked, genuinely puzzled. "You thought he'd died. Why shouldn't you throw your arms around him when you see him alive and kicking?"

Turning to face her friend, Sam smiled softly. He really did get it. She shouldn't have been surprised.

"Anyone would have done the same thing?"

"Anyone who loves somebody as much as you obviously love General O'Neill," Cam replied, a knowing twinkle in his eye.

When Sam looked at him quizzically, he continued.

"Hey, it's hard to miss. When you look at the guy, you light up," he said.

"I do, don't I," Sam acknowledged, that very light in her eyes now. "You can't imagine how hard it's been to keep that under wraps the past few years. Didn't do such a good job, huh?"

"Well I have gotten to know you in some pretty tough circumstances," Cam observed. "I like to think we're friends."

"Of course we are," Sam said. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"I understand." He paused meaningfully, appearing to study the elevator buttons while they drifted inexorably upward.

"You know my first clue?"

"Hmm?" Sam asked, not sure what he was getting at.

"My first clue about you and General O'Neill," Cam clarified.

"Ah, no," Sam admitted, not sure she liked where this was going.

"Well, it was that time he showed up for the thousandth trip through the gate thingie… you know, my party, Martin's movie idea, all that. Well the look on your faces when Vala was spinning her yarn about that wedding … hard to miss …"

Sam smiled in spite of herself. She'd thought as much.

"And then…?"

"Then you got hurt … and your password was fishing," Cam recalled. "I've heard about the General's favorite pastime."

"Think you're pretty smart, don't you?"

Just then the doors opened. They were on the surface. Teal'c was at the entrance waiting for them.

"Colonel Mitchell," he said, "I was not aware you would be accompanying Colonel Carter."

"Oh, not accompanying," he said, "only riding the elevator. Actually, I have to be on my way. See you guys," he said brightly. "Oh, and belated congratulations, Colonel."

"Thanks," Sam said, wondering why she'd never told him about Jack before this. As Cam left, she turned to her inscrutable Jaffa friend.

"Was it so bad, Samantha?" Teal'c asked.

She didn't have to ask. She knew what he meant.

"Telling Cam?" she surmised. "No, not bad at all. He's happy for me."

"As he should be," Teal'c said. "As all your friends will be."

Sam smiled. Then she remembered Jack was supposed to meet her.

"Have you seen Jack?" she asked. "He should have been up here by now."

Teal'c nodded solemnly.

"General O'Neill is on his way. Apparently he was distracted by a strange conversation with Vala Mal Doran," Teal'c explained. "About your relationship, it seems."

"Holy Hannah!" Sam said, readily imagining the talk. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Indeed."

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Reviews appreciated!


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